Note:  This site is best viewed using a Mozilla Firefox or Safari browser.  If you are viewing this site using Internet Explorer, you may not be able to view items in the sidebar.  Clicking on any page or post will cause sidebar items to appear.

*In case you missed it, here are the previous BAPCPA Man vs Mortgantua cartoons:  Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

*For additional information on mortgage cramdown, foreclosure and related mortgage and bankruptcy issues, have a look at the following blog posts:

Haines & Krieger (Las Vegas, NV)

• Fear of possible mortgage “cramdown” legislation overblown?
• Will the “Cramdown Bill” Pass the Senate?
• Possible mortgage and foreclosure help from the federal government?

Bruce Weiner (Rosenberg Musso & Weiner) – NYBankruptcyNet (Brooklyn, NY)

• Foreclosure increase + jobless recovery = Trouble
• New York foreclosures likely to continue as ARMs begin to re-set over next 4 years

Special thanks to the following bankruptcy attorneys for their help with the technical aspects of the cartoon:

• Christine Wilton, Esq. – Los Angeles Bankrkuptcy Law Monitor (Los Angeles, CA)
• Law Office of Gregory A. Holbus, Esq. – Wisconsin Bankruptcy Blog (Green Bay, WI)

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Get your BAPCPA Man and Mortgantua T-shirts, Mugs, Cards and More!

*To see more of Gideon Kendall’s work go to www.gideonkendall.com or http://gideonkendall.com/blog.  Or order yourself a copy of Dino Pets, the wonderfully illustrated children’s book written by Lynn Plourde and illustrated by BAPCPA Man’s favorite illustrator, Gideon Kendall.

Note:  This site is best viewed using a Mozilla Firefox or Safari browser.  If you are viewing this site using Internet Explorer, you may not be able to view items in the sidebar.  Clicking on any page or post will cause sidebar items to appear.

Special thanks to the following bankruptcy attorneys for their help with the technical aspects of the cartoon:

• Christine Wilton, Esq. – Los Angeles Bankrkuptcy Law Monitor (Los Angeles, CA)
• Law Office of Gregory A. Holbus, Esq. – Wisconsin Bankruptcy Blog (Green Bay, WI)

For additional information on foreclosure and mortgage issues as they relate to bankruptcy, have a look at the following blog posts:

Bruce Weiner (Rosenberg Musso & Weiner) – NYBankruptcyNet (Brooklyn, NY)

• Loan modification scams and U.S. Foreclosure Relief

Haines & Krieger (Las Vegas, NV)

• Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
• Video: Channel 8 News report on Raul Cadenas foreclosure mediation case
• Las Vegas Foreclosure Round-up

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Get your BAPCPA Man and Mortgantua T-shirts, Mugs, Cards and More!

*To see more of Gideon Kendall’s work go to www.gideonkendall.com or http://www.gideonkendall.com/blog.  Or order yourself a copy of Dino Pets, the wonderfully illustrated children’s book written by Lynn Plourde and illustrated by BAPCPA Man’s favorite illustrator, Gideon Kendall.

• Click here to tell the ABA Journal if you think the Bankruptcy Bill site (including the Bankruptcy Bill and BAPCPA Man cartoons, bankruptcy haiku and the “Bankruptcy Lover” song) should be included in the Top 100 law blogs:  http://www.abajournal.com/blawgs/blawg100_submit Deadline is October 2.
  

Note:  If you are viewing this site using Internet Explorer, you may not be able to view items in the sidebar.  Clicking on any page or post will cause sidebar items to appear.

*Click here to see BAPCPA Man #7 – BAPCPA Man vs. Mortgantua – Part 1, and here for all previous BAPCPA Man cartoons, or here for all cartoons on the site relating to consumer bankruptcy.

More information on MORTGAGES, FORECLOSURE and LOAN/MORTGAGE MODIFICATION:

Here’s a nice “infographic” on the steps in the Foreclosure Process in Nevada made available in PDF format by the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.  And if you’re just looking for bankruptcy information, here’s a helpful bankruptcy link.

Below are some useful posts from bankruptcy lawyer blogs on the topics of mortgages, foreclosure, loan modification and the Making Homes Affordable Program.  (Go to the BK Lawyer Blogs page on this site to see a full state-by-state list of bankruptcy lawyer blogs. And get in touch if you have a blog and don’t see it listed.)

George Haines, Esq. and David Krieger, Esq. (Haines & Krieger) (Las Vegas, NV)

• Do you qualify for a loan modification?
• Should I intentionally miss mortgage payments to qualify for loan modification?
• Loan Modification: The NOT Making Homes Affordable Program
• Nevada has highest foreclosure rate in the U.S. for 31st straight month
• What’s so great about foreclosure mediation?

Bruce Weiner (Rosenberg Musso & Weiner) – NYBankruptcyNet (Brooklyn, NY)

• Brooklyn Judge gives New York homeowners a fighting chance against foreclosure
• New York foreclosures likely to continue as ARMs begin to re-set over next 4 years
• Can I keep my home if I file for bankruptcy in New York?
• Subprime loan modification companies

Craig D. Robins, Esq. – Long Island Bankruptcy Blog (Woodbury, NY)

• Why I Won’t Negotiate Loan Modifications
• Many New York Foreclosure Suits Are Dismissed Because They Are Defective
• Is a Short Sale a Reasonable Alternative to Foreclosure on Long Island?

Jonathan Ginsberg, Esq. – theBKLaw (Atlanta, GA)

• Loan Modification Myths Busted
• If I Do Not Reaffirm My Mortgage in Chapter 7, Do I Automatically Lose Title to my House?

Reed Allmand, Esq. (Allmand & Lee) – Reed’s Bankruptcy Attorney Blog (Dallas and Ft. Worth, TX)

• Mortgage Modification in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
• Selling Your Home When You’re Broke
• Congress Passes Anti-Foreclosure Bill

*To see more of Gideon Kendall’s work go to www.gideonkendall.com and gideonkendall.squarespace.com/journal.  Or order yourself a copy of Dino Pets, the wonderfully illustrated children’s book written by Lynn Plourde and illustrated by BAPCPA Man’s favorite illustrator, Gideon Kendall.

Note:  If you are viewing this site using Internet Explorer, you may not be able to view items in the sidebar.  Clicking on any page or post will cause sidebar items to appear.

*Click here for previous BAPCPA Man cartoons, or here for all cartoons on the site relating to consumer bankruptcy.

Below are some helpful posts from bankruptcy lawyer blogs on the topics of mortgages, foreclosure, loan modification and the Making Homes Affordable Program.  Go to the BK Lawyer Blogs page on this site to see a full state-by-state list of bankruptcy lawyer blogs.  (And get in touch if you have a blog and don’t see it listed.)

Update 9.10.09: There’s a great piece on NPR about foreclosures and the black-box decision making process regarding loan modifications (“Major Banks Still Grappling with Foreclosure“).  At one point, there’s a clip of reporter Chris Arnold in the Bank of America call center, listening over the shoulder of a call center rep who tells a homeowner they’re not eligible for a loan modification.  Arnold questions the rep and receives a not so satisfying explanation.  The issue is raised with the supervisors and it turns out the homeowner was in fact eligible for a loan modification.  How frequently is this scenario replaying itself?

George Haines, Esq. and David Krieger, Esq. (Haines & Krieger) (Las Vegas, NV)

• Do you qualify for a loan modification?
• Should I intentionally miss mortgage payments to qualify for loan modification?
• Loan Modification: The NOT Making Homes Affordable Program
• Nevada has highest foreclosure rate in the U.S. for 31st straight month
• What’s so great about foreclosure mediation?

Bruce Weiner (Rosenberg Musso & Weiner) – NYBankruptcyNet (Brooklyn, NY)

• Brooklyn Judge gives New York homeowners a fighting chance against foreclosure
• New York foreclosures likely to continue as ARMs begin to re-set over next 4 years
• Can I keep my home if I file for bankruptcy in New York?
• Subprime loan modification companies

Craig D. Robins, Esq. – Long Island Bankruptcy Blog (Woodbury, NY)

• Why I Won’t Negotiate Loan Modifications
• Many New York Foreclosure Suits Are Dismissed Because They Are Defective
• Is a Short Sale a Reasonable Alternative to Foreclosure on Long Island?

Jonathan Ginsberg, Esq. – theBKLaw (Atlanta, GA)

• Loan Modification Myths Busted
• If I Do Not Reaffirm My Mortgage in Chapter 7, Do I Automatically Lose Title to my House?

Reed Allmand, Esq. (Allmand & Lee) – Reed’s Bankruptcy Attorney Blog (Dallas and Ft. Worth, TX)

• Mortgage Modification in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
• Selling Your Home When You’re Broke
• Congress Passes Anti-Foreclosure Bill

*To see more of Gideon Kendall’s work go to www.gideonkendall.com and gideonkendall.squarespace.com/journal.  Or order yourself a copy of Dino Pets, the wonderfully illustrated children’s book written by Lynn Plourde and illustrated by BAPCPA Man’s favorite illustrator, Gideon Kendall.

Bankruptcy Billables is an overview of bankruptcy-relevant coverage and discussion from various law-related blogs.

Point of Law

• Cramdown still lurking
• Systemic Indifference (S. Todd Brown comments on reckless and indifferent collection practices of mortgage companies cited in a Huffington Post piece by Karen Weise.  Ties commentary into accuracy of claims process in bankruptcy cases, particularly asbestos cases.)

WSJ Bankruptcy Beat

• Lawyer aims to bring “Fiegenomics” to Washington (Bankruptcy lawyer Tom Fiegen to challenge Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley for his seat.)

Creditslips.org

• Thanks to Max
• Private Tax Collection
• The Lack of Evidentiary Foundations Fosters Fraud
• Show Me the Original Note and I Will Show You the Money
• The Alphabet Problem and the Pooling and Servicing Agreements
• Does a Tarnished Credit Report Equal an Untrustworthy Employee?
• How Much Credit Card Debt Do Bankrupt Consumers Have?
• What Does RESPA Have to do with Consumer Bankruptcy Cases?
• Countrywide Sanctioned by Ohio Court Citing Porter & Twomey
• HAMP–Is It Really All About the Money?
• The Consumer Financial Protection Agency
• Truth in Lending or Truth in Ownership of Residential Mortgage Notes
• The Problem with Houston
• Greetings to Max Gardner
• Remote Deposit Capture (RDC) iPhone App

Going Concern

• Huron Consulting Beats the Numbers, Cooked Books and a Bunch of Other Shadiness Notwithstanding
• Bank Failures by the Numbers
• Hammer Wants Everyone to Know That the IRS Can’t Touch This

Above The Law

• $40 Million Benchslap for Weil Gotshal (relates to IP and litigation, but anything about Weil Gotshal is bankruptcy relevant from Bankruptcy Bill’s perspective)
• How Well-Endowed Is Bernie Madoff?
• Official New Vault Rankings (Weil Gotshal moves up to #6)
• Morning Docket 08.18.09 (Why has there been no litigation surge in the recession?)
• Non-Sequiturs: 08.17.09 (Link to another legal cartoon site:  Courtoons–Daily Legal Cartoons.  By David Mills)
• Bad News for the Brothers Madoff?
• Morning Docket 08.17.09 (Programmers figure out a way to hack PACER to be able to access public court docs without having to pay for them.)

NYLawyer.com (free registration required)

• Laughing All the Way to the Bankruptcy: NY Firm Passes $100 Million in Fees in Lehman Disaster
• Zombie Firm Loses Bid to Set Aside NY Default Judgment

Law Shucks

• Layoffs in the Vault 25
• This Week in Layoffs – 8/14/09

Did we miss a good recent bankruptcy-related post on another blog?  E-mail bill [at] bankruptcybill [dot] us to let us know.

BLT (Bankruptcy Lawyer Topics) is a periodic review and comparison of  consumer bankruptcy topics being covered on bankruptcy lawyer blogs.

• Click on BK Lawyer Blogs for a state-by-state list of bankruptcy lawyers with their own blogs.
• Have a blog post you think should be included?  Send an e-mail to bill [at] bankruptcybill [dot] us.

On the heels of today’s article in the New York Times (“Online Scammers Prey on Jobless“), it seemed appropriate to see what various bankruptcy lawyer blogs have to say on the topic of scams in world of bankruptcy, debt, mortgages and foreclosure.

WISCONSIN

Law Office of Gregory A. Holbus, Esq. – Wisconsin Bankruptcy Blog (Green Bay, WI)

• Can I max out my credit cards before I file bankruptcy?

TEXAS

BLT (Bankruptcy Lawyer Topics) is a review of  consumer bankruptcy topics being covered on bankruptcy lawyer blogs.

• Click on BK Lawyer Blogs for a state-by-state list of bankruptcy lawyers with their own blogs.
• Have a blog post you think should be included?  Send an e-mail to bill [at] bankruptcybill [dot] us.

Loan modification (also sometimes referred to as mortgage modification) is a very hot topic these days.  It’s helping a lot of homeowners avoid foreclosure.  Though it’s also fertile ground for scams.  And in in the big picture it may only be putting a dent in the problem.  As the New York Times pointed out yesterday (“Lucrative Fees May Deter Efforts to Alter Loans“), it’s a complicated situation.

If you’re facing foreclosure and considering loan modification, or if you’re just interested in the topic, here are some bankruptcy lawyer blog posts that may be helpful:

California

• Hale Antico, Esq. covers California: New Foreclosure Changes on his Los Angeles Bankruptcy Blog (Los Angeles, CA).

• Howard Nassiri (consisting of Vincent D. Howard and Damian J. Nassiri)  in Anaheim, CA gives good coverage to the loan modification in California with the following posts:

• Howard | Nassiri Supports California Bills That Would Forbid Lawyers and Others From Taking Advance Fees
• and
• Study Finds That Mortgage Lenders Won’t Grant Meaningful Loan Modifications Because They Lose Profit
• Mortgage Loan Modification Scams Continue Their Rise in California
• Federal Trade Commission and State Attorneys General Sue Companies for Loan Modification Fraud
• Lenders Face Lawsuits From Spanish-Speakers Illegally Provided English-Only Loan Documents
• State of California Sues Loan Modification Lawyer for Stealing From More than 2,000 Homeowners
• Mortgage Brokers Responsible for Subprime Loans Find New Work as Loan Modification Consultants
• ‘Paper Avalanche’ Delays and Denies Loan Modifications to Struggling Homeowners
• Lender Bureaucracy Continues to Slow Mortgage Loan Modifications Under Obama Housing Plan

New York

• David S. Hamilton of Dwyer & Associates (New York, NY) writes on the topics of:

• Mortgage Modification – Where to begin?
• Foreclosure or Short Sale in NYC?
• Suing your Lender when Mortgage Modification isn’t an option

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